I have an older Cannondale bike (Silk 400 Comfort) that I'm thinking of converting it to a motorized and belt drive design. Can anyone give me some insight as to whether this can be done without too much work, and will it work? Ideally I would like it to be hud drive but if a mid drive system makes more sense, I would do that. I would make it a single speed.
Converting a Cannondale bike with motor and belt drive.
- Thread starter wings02
- Start date
Dewey
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Arlington, Virginia
Given there is no frame break you might want to look at the Veer split belt kit. I think it’s currently only compatible with an IGH so you would have to convert the bike, though it might not work as you can’t use a chain tensioner and your frame has vertical dropouts, but if it could be made to work it would necessitate using a mid drive or front hub motor. I don’t know if it has enough strength to take more than a low torque system, maybe ask on the Endless Sphere or electric bike.com forums for advice from folk who have done the conversion.
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Unless you're running a mid-drive your drivetrain is more or less redundant. You could run the less-robust Gates system with a mod to your seat stays, but the hub motor doesn't care, as it's driving the wheel directly. I was dead-set on a mid-drive with a belt and IGH, and in the end the belt lost out. Bikes that ship with the system don't have the heavy duty unit, so less useful for a conversion, and buying the heavy duty unit just isn't cost effective IMVHO. Get a good quality, heavy duty chain and a nice 3-speed IGH, or just run a hub motor and whatever drivetrain you like.
Curious why? What was your experience?
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